Post navigation

Jockey-wheeling for attention…..

The Anna Raccoon Archives

by Anna Raccoon on July 10, 2009

Given the intensity of Jeremy Clarkson’s assault on the reputation of the caravan, you might have expected that the Caravan Club would need the services of a heavy weight Public Relations Outfit, and perhaps at a pinch, the ‘non-political’ services of their most famous parliamentary poster girl – Margaret Beckett MP, but it seems that the Club is a political force to be reckoned with.

They have 3 MPs on stipends of up to £10,000 a year, presumably they get Ms Beckett for free, or at least she doesn’t declare an ‘interest’. Something she would have in common with David Amess, who failed to declare his caravanning interests an improbable six times when asking pertinent questions in parliament.

Whilst looking into the apparently sleepy world of Formica and maroon banquettes, I discovered that no less than two Acts of Parliament had been passed of direct benefit to this Club.

Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960

Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) (1963) Chapter 17

both of which provide exemptions only applicable to members of…….The Caravan Club. With 1,000,000 members and an annual turnover of £86 million, this outfit is not small fry, but there cannot be many private clubs or companies of a similar size who require 3 retained MPs to take care of their interests.

Can any political bloggers throw some light on this hotbed of lobbying?

I was working in Barnsley at the time when Illsley was being shooed-in as a replacement for the sitting MP, Roy Mason, who had managed to wheedle a Lordship for his services to Greed and Hoonery.

Illsley at that time had never been near a caravan; he was a full-time NUM official. I have a feeling though, that one of my colleagues had done some jockey-wheeling with Illsley’s wife. This may, of course, shed some light on his current interest.

Another example of why Mr Clarkson should be appointed president for life. How the hell can MP’s sub themselves out like this? It is the same as cops subbing themselves out to one side of the high street for special services. As each layer of rotten corruption is peeled back another sits stinking below.